1999
The Christmas Seal 1999
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One Hundred Years Of Christmas Gifts In The Faroe Islands
Christmas stamps 1999
1900 Sheepskin shoes
The commonest type of Christmas present a hundred years ago. In those days people used to give each other practical things for Christmas. Something to wear, for instance. Factory-made toys were not usual among ordinary folk. They could not afford them, and in many villages it was not possible to buy toys.
1904 Zoetrope
Toys were sold in the shops in Tórshavn. Around the turn of the century there were special picture tubes for sale in which you could see moving pictures. These magic tubes had exciting names like Laterna Magica, Thaumatrope, Phenakistoscope and Zoetrope. They came from America, and consisted of a metal tube on a wooden stand. There were pictures inside, and when the tube revolved quickly you could look through slits in the tube and see the pictures move.
1909 Hat
It was wonderful to get a new Faroese hat for Christmas, especially if the old one was worn out or too small. A new hat would probably last a couple of years.
1914 Book
In 1914 the first children's book was published in Faroese. It was Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe". Sverre Patursson had translated the story, and the book was published by Norsk Ungdomsforlag. It was given free to all children aged ten or above. There is no doubt that this was one of the best Christmas presents in those days.
1917 Apple
This unusual and delicious fruit was very rare at the time. You might get one for Christmas, and it tasted so delicious that you could remember the flavour for several months, and even until next Christmas.
1921 Jumping Jack
Jumping Jacks could be bought ready printed on paper in the shops. The best thing was to glue the Jumping Jack to thick cardboard or a thin wooden board and then cut it out. An amusing Christmas present that could also hang on the wall as a decoration.
1925 Wooden boat
A toy boat made of a single hollowed-out piece of wood was a great present for any boy. Grandfather made this one with a birch-bark sail. A wonderful Christmas present to try out in the stream as soon as the snow had melted.
1929 Tin soldier
As a rule children's toys reflect adult life. The tin soldier was a real boy's toy, and war games have always been popular. Tin soldiers are a very old type of toy, and these tiny warriors were also available printed on paper. Depending on what the family could afford, small pieces of wood, bone or even stone could be used for playing soldiers.
1933 Puzzle
This type of puzzle is a "tankepind", which is like a jigsaw puzzle. There was not much time to play, and normally there was plenty of work to do, but one godfather still found time to make a puzzle for his godchild from a small piece of wood. Lots of time could pass happily with this Christmas present.
1937 Doll
Dolls have been popular toys ever since Antiquity. They could be made of wood, straw, clay, or rags and bags. In the nineteenth century they were produced in large quantities, and later on they had heads, arms and legs made of china and attached to a cloth body. Mother made a fine dress out of some scraps of material, and that was a real Christmas present.
1941 "Unmooring the dinghy"
A toy consisting of a piece of wood shaped like a dinghy with three holes and a string, which had to be unmoored in a special way. There were always odd pieces of wood lying round about, and anyone with nimble fingers could make something like this Christmas present for the children to play with. A favourite hobby.
1944 Wooden cock
A few toys came from outside the Faroe Islands, and this wooden cock from Denmark must have delighted its owner. It is brightly painted, and has wheels and a string for pulling it across the kitchen floor - someone must have been happy that Christmas!
1949 Spinning top
This is also an old toy. After the war, toys that were fun returned gradually to the Faroe Islands - and one of these was this lovely metal top which sings as it spins.
1952 Jigsaw puzzle
This puzzle is made of wooden blocks with pictures of animals glued on. It is fun to put it together. Now it shows a cow, then a dog, then a cock and then a pink pig… Good fun to play with while the wind howls outside.
1955 Tin toys
Tin toys were very common after the war. Dad must have brought this one home from England - a hare which beats a drum when it is wound up. On Christmas Eve I was allowed to take it with me to my room because I could not take my eyes off it. Then it beat its drum until the Sandman came!
1957 Indian brave
At this time the dream of the "Wild West" was at its height. There were cowboy comics and cowboy films everywhere. In the summer Faroese boys played Cowboys and Indians all round the village, and sometimes in the outlying countryside as well. In the winter the same game was played indoors. So model Cowboys and Indians on horseback were welcome Christmas presents.
1960 Plastic tower
In the sixties educational toys started coming into fashion, teaching children about shapes and colours as they played. This plastic tower was made for younger children. Plastic was cheap, so here was a good Christmas present at a reasonable price.
1963 Musical box
Small, decorated boxes have always been used for a wealth of purposes, but when an uncle came home from Japan with this Christmas present the children's eyes must really have lit up. It is black and delicately painted; and when it is opened a beautiful little figure dances in front of the mirror while the box plays music.
1965 Teddy bear
In 1902 the American president Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt found a bear cub while he was out hunting, and could not bring himself to shoot it. The story was printed in the newspapers, and a smart businessman began to make teddy bears out of cloth. The idea spread to Europe, and today the teddy bear has become a real classic. I was given this one by my grandmother, and she was my faithful companion throughout my childhood.
1968 Record
Pop music was at its height, and I expect a great many Beatles records lay under the Christmas tree that year, perhaps "Yellow Submarine".
1971 Lego aeroplane
In 1953 Ole Kirk Kristiansen invented a toy that put Billund in Denmark on the world map. Lego bricks. These coloured plastic bricks could be combined in countless ways. I built this fine plane myself, and flew with it one Christmas. From the living room to the attic, into the bedroom, down to the kitchen and round and round.
1974 Films
Film projectors and 8 mm film were at the top of many children's letters to Santa Claus about this time. They were very expensive, so if there was one under the Christmas tree the lights would be put out and the whole family would sit enthralled, watching one of the funny films.
1976 Racing car
Racing cars ran at high speed, and most boys were crazy about them. The seventies were the time of the great racing aces. The dream of becoming one yourself could come to life on the floor in the living room beside the Christmas tree.
1979 Rubik's cube
A modern form of the old "tankepind" game. A cube with a colour on each of its six sides. You twist and turn the cubes until the colours are mixed up, and then have to sort them out again. This game was a real obsession at the end of the seventies.
1983 "My little pony"
This sweet little pony, available in countless variations, went straight to the hearts of all little girls. Nothing could be better than getting one for Christmas, perhaps with its own house and yard. Its nylon hair could be washed and brushed. Some girls had twenty of them.
1986 Fashion dolls
Most girls are crazy about these dolls. It all began with a doll called Barbie, who first hit the market in 1958. Others have appeared since under different names. These dolls and their accessories are simply the American dream in pink plastic.
1989 Action Man
Another war hero, and this one comes from the future. His mission is to fight against all the evil that threatens the world. He topped the list of what many boys wanted for Christmas at that time.
1991 Football
The ball is a really ancient toy. They used to be home-made from leather or cloth, and filled with straw and wool. There are countless ball games, but none of them have become so well-established in the Faroe Islands as football. What better Christmas present than a really good, expensive leather ball? Especially in a year when the national team beat Austria 1-0 in a European Championship match.
1995 Dinosaur
The dinosaur craze hit hard all over the world this year, and they even managed to find their way to Christmas trees on the Faroe Islands. These long-lost giants of a distant age came to life again. In 1993 the film Jurassic Park by Steven Spielberg was launched, after which dinosaurs started appearing in all shapes and sizes. This little Tyrannosaurus Rex was made in Hong Kong.
1999 Computer games
Computer games and the Internet are top of the list for many children at Christmas nowadays. Everyone's talking about "chatting" on the net, and about Cyberspace. Computer games give you a huge range of opportunities to try new and unknown adventures in a foreign and synthetic world. Just like one hundred years ago - moving pictures are still the thing that fascinates us most.
Christmas stamps 1999
1900 Sheepskin shoes
The commonest type of Christmas present a hundred years ago. In those days people used to give each other practical things for Christmas. Something to wear, for instance. Factory-made toys were not usual among ordinary folk. They could not afford them, and in many villages it was not possible to buy toys.
1904 Zoetrope
Toys were sold in the shops in Tórshavn. Around the turn of the century there were special picture tubes for sale in which you could see moving pictures. These magic tubes had exciting names like Laterna Magica, Thaumatrope, Phenakistoscope and Zoetrope. They came from America, and consisted of a metal tube on a wooden stand. There were pictures inside, and when the tube revolved quickly you could look through slits in the tube and see the pictures move.
1909 Hat
It was wonderful to get a new Faroese hat for Christmas, especially if the old one was worn out or too small. A new hat would probably last a couple of years.
1914 Book
In 1914 the first children's book was published in Faroese. It was Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe". Sverre Patursson had translated the story, and the book was published by Norsk Ungdomsforlag. It was given free to all children aged ten or above. There is no doubt that this was one of the best Christmas presents in those days.
1917 Apple
This unusual and delicious fruit was very rare at the time. You might get one for Christmas, and it tasted so delicious that you could remember the flavour for several months, and even until next Christmas.
1921 Jumping Jack
Jumping Jacks could be bought ready printed on paper in the shops. The best thing was to glue the Jumping Jack to thick cardboard or a thin wooden board and then cut it out. An amusing Christmas present that could also hang on the wall as a decoration.
1925 Wooden boat
A toy boat made of a single hollowed-out piece of wood was a great present for any boy. Grandfather made this one with a birch-bark sail. A wonderful Christmas present to try out in the stream as soon as the snow had melted.
1929 Tin soldier
As a rule children's toys reflect adult life. The tin soldier was a real boy's toy, and war games have always been popular. Tin soldiers are a very old type of toy, and these tiny warriors were also available printed on paper. Depending on what the family could afford, small pieces of wood, bone or even stone could be used for playing soldiers.
1933 Puzzle
This type of puzzle is a "tankepind", which is like a jigsaw puzzle. There was not much time to play, and normally there was plenty of work to do, but one godfather still found time to make a puzzle for his godchild from a small piece of wood. Lots of time could pass happily with this Christmas present.
1937 Doll
Dolls have been popular toys ever since Antiquity. They could be made of wood, straw, clay, or rags and bags. In the nineteenth century they were produced in large quantities, and later on they had heads, arms and legs made of china and attached to a cloth body. Mother made a fine dress out of some scraps of material, and that was a real Christmas present.
1941 "Unmooring the dinghy"
A toy consisting of a piece of wood shaped like a dinghy with three holes and a string, which had to be unmoored in a special way. There were always odd pieces of wood lying round about, and anyone with nimble fingers could make something like this Christmas present for the children to play with. A favourite hobby.
1944 Wooden cock
A few toys came from outside the Faroe Islands, and this wooden cock from Denmark must have delighted its owner. It is brightly painted, and has wheels and a string for pulling it across the kitchen floor - someone must have been happy that Christmas!
1949 Spinning top
This is also an old toy. After the war, toys that were fun returned gradually to the Faroe Islands - and one of these was this lovely metal top which sings as it spins.
1952 Jigsaw puzzle
This puzzle is made of wooden blocks with pictures of animals glued on. It is fun to put it together. Now it shows a cow, then a dog, then a cock and then a pink pig… Good fun to play with while the wind howls outside.
1955 Tin toys
Tin toys were very common after the war. Dad must have brought this one home from England - a hare which beats a drum when it is wound up. On Christmas Eve I was allowed to take it with me to my room because I could not take my eyes off it. Then it beat its drum until the Sandman came!
1957 Indian brave
At this time the dream of the "Wild West" was at its height. There were cowboy comics and cowboy films everywhere. In the summer Faroese boys played Cowboys and Indians all round the village, and sometimes in the outlying countryside as well. In the winter the same game was played indoors. So model Cowboys and Indians on horseback were welcome Christmas presents.
1960 Plastic tower
In the sixties educational toys started coming into fashion, teaching children about shapes and colours as they played. This plastic tower was made for younger children. Plastic was cheap, so here was a good Christmas present at a reasonable price.
1963 Musical box
Small, decorated boxes have always been used for a wealth of purposes, but when an uncle came home from Japan with this Christmas present the children's eyes must really have lit up. It is black and delicately painted; and when it is opened a beautiful little figure dances in front of the mirror while the box plays music.
1965 Teddy bear
In 1902 the American president Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt found a bear cub while he was out hunting, and could not bring himself to shoot it. The story was printed in the newspapers, and a smart businessman began to make teddy bears out of cloth. The idea spread to Europe, and today the teddy bear has become a real classic. I was given this one by my grandmother, and she was my faithful companion throughout my childhood.
1968 Record
Pop music was at its height, and I expect a great many Beatles records lay under the Christmas tree that year, perhaps "Yellow Submarine".
1971 Lego aeroplane
In 1953 Ole Kirk Kristiansen invented a toy that put Billund in Denmark on the world map. Lego bricks. These coloured plastic bricks could be combined in countless ways. I built this fine plane myself, and flew with it one Christmas. From the living room to the attic, into the bedroom, down to the kitchen and round and round.
1974 Films
Film projectors and 8 mm film were at the top of many children's letters to Santa Claus about this time. They were very expensive, so if there was one under the Christmas tree the lights would be put out and the whole family would sit enthralled, watching one of the funny films.
1976 Racing car
Racing cars ran at high speed, and most boys were crazy about them. The seventies were the time of the great racing aces. The dream of becoming one yourself could come to life on the floor in the living room beside the Christmas tree.
1979 Rubik's cube
A modern form of the old "tankepind" game. A cube with a colour on each of its six sides. You twist and turn the cubes until the colours are mixed up, and then have to sort them out again. This game was a real obsession at the end of the seventies.
1983 "My little pony"
This sweet little pony, available in countless variations, went straight to the hearts of all little girls. Nothing could be better than getting one for Christmas, perhaps with its own house and yard. Its nylon hair could be washed and brushed. Some girls had twenty of them.
1986 Fashion dolls
Most girls are crazy about these dolls. It all began with a doll called Barbie, who first hit the market in 1958. Others have appeared since under different names. These dolls and their accessories are simply the American dream in pink plastic.
1989 Action Man
Another war hero, and this one comes from the future. His mission is to fight against all the evil that threatens the world. He topped the list of what many boys wanted for Christmas at that time.
1991 Football
The ball is a really ancient toy. They used to be home-made from leather or cloth, and filled with straw and wool. There are countless ball games, but none of them have become so well-established in the Faroe Islands as football. What better Christmas present than a really good, expensive leather ball? Especially in a year when the national team beat Austria 1-0 in a European Championship match.
1995 Dinosaur
The dinosaur craze hit hard all over the world this year, and they even managed to find their way to Christmas trees on the Faroe Islands. These long-lost giants of a distant age came to life again. In 1993 the film Jurassic Park by Steven Spielberg was launched, after which dinosaurs started appearing in all shapes and sizes. This little Tyrannosaurus Rex was made in Hong Kong.
1999 Computer games
Computer games and the Internet are top of the list for many children at Christmas nowadays. Everyone's talking about "chatting" on the net, and about Cyberspace. Computer games give you a huge range of opportunities to try new and unknown adventures in a foreign and synthetic world. Just like one hundred years ago - moving pictures are still the thing that fascinates us most.
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